Monday, July 31, 2006

Very funny - Dear Tech Support

My friend Denyse Bridger sent this and I had to share. It's so cleverly written - very fun! Thanks, Denyse!

Dear Tech Support,
Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow-down in overall system performance - particularly in the Flower and Jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.
In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as NFL 5.0, MLB 3.0, NBA 4.0, NASCAR 4.2 and Golf Clubs 4.1.
Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.
I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.
What can I do?
Signed,
Desperate

Dear Desperate,
First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Please enter the command: "http//www.I-Thought-You-Loved-Me.com" and try to download Tears 6.2, and don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update.
If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. But remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0, or Beer 6.1. Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta.
Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-in-law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all of your system resources).
Also, do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. This is an unsupported application and will crash Husband 1.0.
In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory, and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Hot Food 3.0 and Lingerie 7.7.
Tech Support

Keep smiling,
Laurie :)

Sunday, July 30, 2006

TEXAS BAD BOYS - Great authors, great fun!!


Another great cover and a wonderfully fun book! I have had the pleasure of spending time with Rosemary Laurey and Dianne Castell at several booksignings, at the Lori Foster/Dianne Castell Reader/Author get together in Cincinnati and at the home of Lori Foster on two occasions and they are both great fun. Rosemary has the sweetest story about the night she met her husband and how she knew from the moment she first heard his southern accent that he was the man she would marry - it makes me smile everytime I think about it! Dianne is never still - I swear that she has more energy than a power plant! I have yet to meet Karen Kelley, but have heard nothing but wonderful things about her and her powerful sense of humor. I'm hopeful that I will have the pleasure of meeting her someday!
I have done a review of Texas Bad Boys on behalf of Romance Junkies and am posting it below. I hope you will take a look at this latest bad boys anthology!

When a grandfather disappears, leaving everything he owns to three beautiful granddaughters that he has never met, he could not have imagined the impact his bequest would have on their lives or the lives of the three young men who are thrown into the mix.
IN BAD WITH SOMEONE by Rosemary Laurey
When Juliet ffrench inherits The Ragged Rooster, a rowdy bar in Silver Gulch, Texas, she travels from London, determined to make the most of the requirement that she remain in Silver Gulch for three years. The one distraction that Juliet didn’t anticipate was Rod Carter, manager of the Rooster. Rod had been told that he would be inheriting the bar; needless to say he is not pleased with Juliet’s arrival or her determination to stay and run the bar. Once the two put their heads together to investigate repeated strange happenings around the bar, could a joining of their hearts be far behind?
http://rosemarylaurey.com/html/home.htm
RUN OF BAD LUCK by Karen Kelley
Nina Harris arrives at Maddock’s Dream, the ranch she recently inherited from her grandfather, just in time to witness a real cowboy breaking a wild horse. Nina is used to seeing beautiful male bodies as a male centerfold photographer, but those men don’t hold a candle to Lance Colby, the ranch foreman. Lance doesn’t understand why any red-blooded male would take off his clothes to pose in a women’s nudie magazine, but taking his clothes off to be with Nina was an assignment he was more than just a little interested in, despite the fact that she has inherited the ranch that her grandfather had promised to him. Nina and Lance get to know each other very well, very quickly, and while their relationship heats up, they are faced with some odd occurrences around the ranch. Can these young lovers work together in spite of the deceit that brought them together?
http://www.authorkarenkelley.com/
COME TO A BAD END by Dianne Castell
Lillie June’s new spa is the talk of the town in Silver Gulch. The women love it because they’re pampered, eating healthier and getting themselves in shape. The men hate it – for the same reasons. They don’t want smelly, relaxing candles in their homes or to be forced to eat healthy, gravy-free meals. Sheriff John Snow has been chosen to talk to Lillie and convince her to stop the nonsense of pampering the women of Silver Gulch. John has intentionally been avoiding Lillie in order to fight an attraction; Lillie would like nothing more than to get her hands on John, knowing she could help him relax those painfully tight muscles. After meeting her sisters, Juliet and Nina, for the first time, Lillie is more determined than ever to make her business a successful addition to Silver Gulch. Once Lillie does get her hands on John, and he gets his hands on her, he realizes that he’s not in such a hurry to see Lillie leave town after all.
http://www.diannecastell.com/
TEXAS BAD BOYS is a compilation of the works of three of the hottest names in women’s fiction. All three stories tie in together, and it is fun re-visiting characters in each of the stories. All three heroines are spunky, independent, and self-confident. Each was hurt and deeply affected by what they mistakenly thought was a neglectful grandfather. The heroes that these authors have created to perfect order for their heroines are gentlemanly, in spite of the deceit of their old friend, and attentive to each and every need of their respective women. TEXAS BAD BOYS is yet another fun dose of bad boys and is highly recommended.

Thanks for stopping by!
Laurie

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

FIVE SURGEONS

A friend shared this with me today and I thought I'd pass it on. It's innocent fun - good for a little chuckle.
Five Surgeons are discussing the types of people they like to operate on.
The first surgeon says: "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."
The second responds: "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is color coded."
The third surgeon says: "No, I really think librarians are the best; Everything inside them is in alphabetical order."
The fourth surgeon chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers...those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over."
But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed: "You're all really wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, no brains and no spine, and the head and the ass are interchangeable."
Have a great day!
Laurie

Friday, July 21, 2006

Lori Foster's latest - MURPHY'S LAW


Is this not a great cover? I think it is very clever and just plain cute. A great cover for a great book - who would expect anything less from Lori Foster? I anticipate new books from my favorite authors with each release, and I anticipate their covers almost as much. Some of the covers these days are simply beautiful and I'm sure they make a huge difference in how quickly a book makes it to the cash register in the bookstore - for a prospective reader, that is. My favorite authors, Ms. Foster being my absolute favorite, could sell their books covered with the Sunday comics and I would still buy them.
Murphy's Law follows Jude's Law, both have many of the same characters, but both stand on their own. I would recommend reading them in order simply for the sheer pleasure you'll receive! Check out Lori's website and see what she's up to - fortunately for her readers, she's always working on another fabulous story! http://www.lorifoster.com/
Below is my review for Murphy's Law; I hope it will entice you to purchase this book, scheduled for September, 2006 release.

Just when Ashley Miles has her life in control and headed in the right direction, she meets a man offering her the world; all he wants in return is her heart.
Ashley Miles has been on her own for so long that she doesn’t know what to make of the attention being paid to her by Quinton Murphy. Ashley is being threatened by a ruthless murderer who is out for revenge. When Quinton discovers this, his pursuit of Ashley intensifies and he is more determined than ever to have and protect her. The more Ashley discovers about Quinton, including a secret that he would prefer stay secret, the more difficult it becomes to resist his potent charm.
Quinton Murphy is rich beyond belief, a successful businessman, born with the proverbial silver spoon. He could have any woman he wants, any time he wants, and while Ashley isn’t the most sophisticated woman he has ever known, she’s the one that he finds adorable, the one he wants and the one he is determined to have. Convincing Ashley that a life with him doesn’t mean losing the independence that she has worked so hard to attain will take every bit of patience and persistence that Quinton can muster.
Ashley’s self-imposed solitude is heart-wrenching and her refusal to lean on anyone will have readers willing Quinton to be the one to reach her heart. Lori Foster once again gives readers a wonderfully romantic story - a touching tale of two people who couldn’t be more opposite, or more perfect for each other.

Thanks as always for taking time to visit!!
Laurie
xo

The end of summer?

I feel like my summer is over now that our vacation falls into the "was" category. The beach towels are washed and back on their assigned shelf in the linen closet, sunburns have faded to peeling skin, the waves crashing onto the shore are but a memory, and the sand has been cleaned out of every nook and cranny of our sandals and the car. Makes me a little maudlin.
Before the girls were born we always had to take our vacations after August 31st - that was Tim's start date at the job he was working then. I would plan our trips all summer long - it was still warm enough to swim and enjoy the outdoors, but most kids were back in school by then, so regardless of where we went, it was fairly quiet. The most memorable of those trips is the one where we took off for two weeks without a single plan. I think we came close to seeing every state in the southeastern United States and we had an absolute blast, just the two of us. We were young and completely carefree - no kids, no house, no pets, not much money!! One stop was to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN, and after the tour we were invited to the home of Miss Mamie Daniels, Jack's (great?) granddaughter, for a homestyle lunch with a dozen or so other folks from the tour, right in her dining room. Talk about southern hospitality - we had a feast - it was a wonderful experience. I'm certain that Miss Mamie is probably long gone as she was fairly old then, but I've often wondered if they still do this.
I guess we need to make some plans for a long weekend or two yet this summer - one of them will have to be for just the two of us. The Ohio State Park system has some beautiful lodges that are perfect for a couples-only get away. Maybe I'll make a reservation and surprise Tim with a weekend away. I'll even willingly navigate - no knee patting necessary when it's in the name of a romantic getaway!
I hope everyone has a great weekend - I have several books to write reviews for; I just haven't been able to get my head into it. I think my brain is still at the beach - must be sand in the nooks and crannies!
Hugs,
Laurie

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The window man cometh

A window repair man is removing all of our bedroom windows today - I guess they are double-paned glass and some of them have gotten moisture in between the glass - sometimes they look really bad and I've complained about them for months. Tim finally succumbed to my bitching and called to have them repaired. Of course the guy couldn't come in the spring when it was pleasant - he's coming this afternoon, when it's going to be in the 90's. At least it's less humid, right? Yeah, I keep telling myself that will make a big difference. Tim has cut out heavy duty cardboard to cover the windows - I imagine it will be held in place with some pretty, shiny duct tape - that will do wonders in detracting from the ugliness of the cardboard. All we will need is a car on blocks in the front yard to look like our neighbors, the Beverly Hillbillies. No, the neighbors don't really have a car on blocks, but oh, how their garden does grow. The organic one next to their driveway? I've mentioned it here before. They currently have something growing in their garden that rivals Jack's beanstalk - I think they're trying to grow the stairway to heaven or something. Call the people at Guinness - I'm sure we've got a world record growing over there.
I'm thinking we will have to carry out something for dinner tonight - I don't relish the thought of turning the stove or oven on when it's so hot, and knowing Tim, he won't want to leave the house unattended when our only means of security is silver tape. I wonder if that Easy Bake oven is still in the basement . . . .
Stay cool!!
Laurie

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Cherry Adair's EDGE OF DANGER - You'll read it from the edge of your seat!

I've been a fan of Cherry Adair from the moment I first read her work and I've since read all but two of her books. My absolute favorite Cherry Adair book is KISS AND TELL, the first book in an excitingly satisfying series. Now that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the rest of the series, after all there is an arousing love scene on the back of a camel and yet another that takes place in a raging snowstorm that come to mind. Also don't misunderstand that I only recall the love scenes, as Cherry's characters are all unforgettable, but those two things are especially memorable!
I was fortunate enough to meet Cherry last summer at a stop on the WalMart Summer Author's Tour near my hometown. She is an absolute blast and I wished I'd had more time to spend visiting with her. I was buying books for several friends on Lori Foster's Bookjunky loop and all of the authors were very patient and kind as I checked my list of what books to buy and who the autographs were to be written to. I told Cherry at that time about my love of KISS AND TELL and had my copy autographed. She told me that since I enjoyed it so much, I would also enjoy EDGE OF DANGER, but I would have to wait for almost a year for its release.
I took three books on vacation with me last week and this was the only one that I read.
I did enjoy it very much and cannot wait to get my hands on the next books in this series, EDGE OF FEAR and EDGE OF DARKNESS, which will be released on July 25 and August 29, respectively. I wasn't able to get this book for Romance Junkies review as someone was quicker to the draw than me in claiming it, but I've written a review nonetheless. Thanks for checking it out!
When Dr. Eden Cahill assisted with the development of Rex, a revolutionary robot capable of performing monumental, humanly impossible tasks intended to assist in the face of any disaster, she locks away every detail of its production deep in her photographic memory. Rex is capable of much more than has been divulged and when it falls into the wrong hands it appears that the entire country is in danger.
Gabriel Edge, one of three brothers who are wizards born under an ancient curse, is a T-FLAC operative who needs to get Rex's production information from Eden's locked mind. When an attempt at seducing her while she sleeps fails to produce the mind-opening revelations that Gabriel had hoped for, he teleports an uncooperative Eden from Tempe to his castle in Montana.
When it becomes evident that Eden may be his lifemate, Gabriel fights his attraction to her, knowing that falling in love with her could prove fatal to her, just as it was his mother. Eden's life appears to be in danger either way, and when attempts are made against her, Gabriel is more determined than ever to protect her as they work together to save the country.
Cherry Adair has done an excellent job, as always, of writing a hero that any woman would love to have in pursuit, and a heroine who is adorably fresh, while determined to maintain her independence and the professional position that she has worked so hard to attain. Secondary characters are equally charming and while I am anticipating the stories of Gabriel's brothers, Caleb and Duncan, I am just as intrigued by Gabriel's sidekick, Sebastian Tremayne, and hope to read more about him in the future.
EDGE OF DANGER has just the right mix of intrigue, searing passion, and character intelligence to satisfy lovers of romantic suspense, and the addition of a bit of the paranormal is a wonderful touch from the clever mind of Cherry Adair.
Check out Cherry's newly redesigned website and don't miss the photos of her gorgeous heroes! Here's a link: http://www.cherryadair.com
Thanks as always for checking it out!
Laurie
xo

Saturday, July 15, 2006

There's no place like home, there's no place . . . .


Well, Another Damron family vacation is in the books. It's good to be home, EXCEPT for the piles of laundry, souvenirs to be sorted out, piles of mail, groceries to buy . . . the list goes on and on. It's hard work putting together and wrapping up a family vacation.
We headed south, still a tad undecided on where we were going; when we reached the fork in the road where we needed to decide whether to go to North Carolina or South, we decided to head south first and work our way north from there. We ended up getting into a hotel we've tried to get into for two years without success - Camelot By the Sea - a gorgeous place that is only a couple of years old. Because we typically go during the July 4th holiday, they are always booked. Going after the holiday this year was definitely a good move on our part, both for getting the hotel we wanted and a smidge fewer vacationers. We ended up liking the hotel so much that we spend the rest of the week there and never did see the North Carolina coast. Oh well, maybe next year!
The photo on the left is of Tim and Kelsey during one of our sunrise jaunts on the beach - around 6:30 a.m. You'll notice the absence of Lindsay - she refused to get out of bed. The second photo is from our hotel room balcony - the 14th floor made for a very scenic view. The weather was typical of July in the south - hot and humid. The heat index had reached 105 by the time we left. Almost unbearable and requiring lots of dips in the pool.
I read one book while we were gone - Cherry Adair's EDGE OF DANGER - I'll be posting about it in the next day or so. I enjoyed it very much and recommend it to all of my friends who enjoy hot romance with an excellently written touch of woo-woo.
Hugs,
Laurie

Saturday, July 08, 2006

VACATION '06 - On the road again . . .

This is the view from our hotel balcony during last year's vacation to our usual vacation destination, Myrtle Beach, SC. We typically throw in other stops before or after Myrtle Beach; the last two years it was Charleston and Savannah. This year we plan to spend a day or two in the Outer Banks area and then head south along the coastline from there.
I'm hoping for a pleasant, restful vacation for all of us, but Tim's idea of pleasant and restful is in a different hemisphere from mine. He is one of those people who lives life at 110 mph, non-stop, full speed ahead - constantly on the go. He wears us out. The girls and I would be happy getting up around 10, lounging by the pool all afternoon, doing a little shopping and then a nice dinner out, topped off by a late-nite stroll on the beach before settling down with a good book until 1 or 2 in the morning. Tim likes to start the day with a family stroll on the beach, around 6 am, and then do and see as much as possible for the rest of the day, until bedtime by which time you are in an exhausted stupor, comatose as soon as your head hits the pillow.
There was discussion on Jill Shalvis's blog the other day about how some of us are directionally dysfunctional, my response is below; it pretty much summarizes what happens to us on the road, at least once on every single vacation, guarandamnteed.
Oh, I really wish you hadn’t brought up the lack of a sense of direction!! We’re leaving on vacation Sunday and I’m sure that I’ve just been jinxed! I am the navigator on our trips - big mistake. I’m the one who cannot keep my eyes open in the car - something about rolling along the open highway just puts me to sleep. There’s something about missed exits and backtracking that just sets my hubby off, and then we ride in stony silence for several hours, or until he reaches over to pat me on the knee, letting me know that we’re all right. I could pat his knee first but I never do -I silently seethe about how I never asked for the navigator position. Maybe I’ll do the knee pat first on this vacation; he’ll be so surprised he’ll probably drive off the road.
I hope everyone has a great week while the Damrons are on vacation - I'll miss you!
Hugs,
Laurie :)

A HARD MAN TO LOVE - Delicious!


If you love sizzling hot erotic romance, you need to get your hands on this book. Who wouldn't want it for the cover alone? I've read one earlier release by Ms. Lawless, TABOO, which reminded me a bit of Robin Schone and Diane Whiteside's erotic writings, and I enjoyed it very much. I have her last release, UNTAMED, in my TBR stack and am hopeful for the opportunity to read it soon. I've provided a website link below - maybe you'll take a minute to go look around - if nothing else, go look at her beautiful covers.
http://www.kathleenlawless.com/
Below is my Romance Junkies review for A HARD MAN TO LOVE:
When a beautiful widow hires a professional gambler to run her ailing ranch/spa, she soon wonders if she is the one who has gambled . . . with her heart.
Widow Montana Blackstone has struggled to keep her ranch afloat, deciding to open an exclusive spa on the property for high-paying guests. Her mother in law hires former gambler Steele Hardt to bring the ranch back to life. After she and Steele have a heated disagreement, Montana immediately fires him, but the attraction between them has already been struck and they’re both helpless against it. Montana is excited at the way the spa is coming together, but when she learns that she has been deceived about the true reason behind Steele’s appearance, she brokenheartedly orders him to leave.
When Steele and Montana first meet, they immediately become lovers, and their affair continues to heat up from that point. Steele knows that if Montana finds out the truth she will send him away, but he is willing to risk it for the chance to be with her. The unthinkable happens when Steele falls in love with Montana; about the same time he realizes that he loves her, she discovers the secret behind his employment and demands that he leave.
Kathleen Lawless has written a real keeper with A HARD MAN TO LOVE. Montana and Steele are excellently written as fiercely independent characters that come to heavily rely upon one another. Montana has struggled for her independence and to keep her ranch in the black; it’s only natural that she would buck against Steele’s smooth, seductive nature, as a businessman and as a lover. Love scenes are passionately erotic while remaining romantic and sweet, and the author delves deep into the emotional insecurities that make these characters seem very real. The secondary characters are equally well-written and are a wonderful complement to the story. I highly recommend this book for lovers of contemporary, erotic love stories.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

HIGH STAKES - Erin McCarthy's vampire novel is a winner!


Erin McCarthy has written several of my favorite romance novels, with Heiress for Hire being my absolute favorite. I swear that my heart still catches a little just thinking about it. Besides being an incredibly talented author, Erin is as sweet as she can be and she has a wonderful sense of humor.
Erin's upcoming release, HIGH STAKES, scheduled for August release, is her first vampire novel and it is great fun. My first vampire read was a couple of years ago and I have to admit that I don't need both hands to count the number that I've read since then. Many are too gory and graphic and that's just not my cup of tea. Erin's Ethan Carrick is simply adorable as a Las Vegas casino owner and prosecutor Alexis Baldizzi is a perfect match for him, the first woman to actually resist his irresistible charm. Erin's wonderful sense of humor shines in this book and her knack for writing passionate love scenes is once again evident. Honestly, who wouldn't fall for a vampire who is capable of fulfilling your every desire, satisfying your every need, with just one hand while suspending you both over the Sphinx?
Below is my Romance Junkies review for HIGH STAKES - I hope you'll check it out and then go pre-order this book immediately, you won't regret it! Don't forget to also check out Erin's website where there's always something fun going on! http://www.erinmccarthy.net/

When tough as nails prosecuting attorney Alexis Baldizzi rescues her sister from the clutches of vampire Ethan Carrick by agreeing to stand in as his pretend girlfriend, she quickly realizes that she is in for an interesting battle, but just this once she seems destined to lose . . . her heart.
When Alexis Baldizzi learns that her sister, Brittany, has left behind her dental practice and moved into a suite at a luxury casino owned by Ethan Carrick, she is determined to get her out. She is humored when Brittany tells her that Ethan, his friends and employees are all vampires, further disbelieving when Ethan tries to explain that he is a candidate for the vampire presidency and is in need of a temporary, intelligent, non-vampire girlfriend, to soften his image. Alexis agrees to play the part and is eventually shown evidence to support Ethan’s vampire defense. Ethan is the most gorgeous man that Alexis has ever known, and once she stops fighting both him and her attraction to him, she discovers that the saying “Bite Me” has taken on an entirely new meaning.
Ethan Carrick has been around for nine hundred years and not once in that time has he met a woman who fascinates him the way Alexis Baldizzi does. He thought his dentist, Brittany Baldizzi, was perfect to play the part of his girlfriend; she’s tall, beautiful and perfectly sweet. That thought quickly evaporated once he met her sister, Alexis, a cute little pixie of a woman with the tenacity of a pit bull and handfuls of luscious curves. Ethan finds her to be a refreshing challenge and enjoys her company as he has no other woman in centuries. When attempts on Ethan’s life escalate into threats against Alexis, there is nothing in the world he won’t do to protect her.
Erin McCarthy repeatedly shows her gift of incredible talent by writing stories with creative wit and humor, while maintaining those character qualities that we all want in a great romance. HIGH STAKES gives readers just that with characters who, despite one being a vampire, have the most simplistic wants and needs; whose emotions and desires are shared by everyone. Ethan and Alexis are both self-assuredly aggressive and determined to have their way; the banter between the two of them is cleverly written and will have readers laughing, just as their passions will make your heart beat just a little bit faster. This is not a book to be missed whether you are a long-time vampire reader or just cutting your vampiric teeth; you won’t be disappointed.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Updated!! - Happy Fourth of July!!

Here's a photo of Kelsey from the parade this morning. She's the flutist on the far right. It was a great parade - very long and a great turnout - I just wish our Memorial Day parade had this much interest. It keeps sprinkling off and on so I'm not sure the fireworks will happen, but it's still been a nice day. I hope everyone has a great one!

I don't know about all of you, but I love the Fourth of July - second only to Christmas as far as holidays go! This is the first year we have been home for the fourth in several years; we usually celebrate while vacationing at Myrtle Beach, which is a wonderful experience, with fireworks being set off on the piers up and down the coast. The only downside to celebrating there is the gazillion or so other vacationers who are bumper to bumper, shoulder to shoulder and poolside chair to poolside chair with you.
Weather permitting, we will be going to the parade tomorrow, cheering the Rutherford B. Hayes High School Marching Band as they march by with Kelsey tooting her flute, and then watching the fireworks tomorrow evening. President Hayes was born in Delaware, thus the name of our high school. We happen to live in Hayes Colony subdivision, where all of the names have a Washington D.C. theme - Senate Avenue, Executive Blvd., Federal Circle, Presidential Blvd., Supreme Court, Congress Court, Heritage Blvd., Capitol Court, etc., and then there's our street, Page Court. Page Court seems a tad insignificant compared to the grandiose names of some of the other streets, don't you think? We are small - just nine houses, and are very fortunate to get along well (for the most part) with all of our neighbors. Even the ones who have chosen to plant their garden in a huge area abutting their driveway, smack dab in front of their house despite having the largest lot on the court and an even larger garden in the back yard. Tim bitches constantly that they make us all look like the Beverly Hillbillies.
Back to the Fourth of July - I hope everyone celebrates our wonderful country happily and safely. May God Bless America!
Holiday Hugs,
Laurie

Saturday, July 01, 2006

More about Jo Leigh's CLOSER

Jo Leigh was kind enough to send me a copy of her latest Blaze, CLOSER, in return for running a contest for readers of my blog (see below). I received it in the mail yesterday, started it last night and finished it this afternoon. It is an excellent romantic suspense and I highly recommend it.
I was a subscriber to the Blaze series for years and anticipated my Reader Service delivery each and every month. About three years ago I stopped that subscription, finding some of the storylines to be silly fluff; I continued to buy my favorite Blaze authors on my own. Don’t get me wrong, I love romance and I enjoy plenty of hot sex in my romance, but I want the characters to at least like each other or have some sort of attraction to lead up to the sex act. I still buy my favorite authors and recently have been reading those Blaze authors who are less familiar to me. I have been pleasantly surprised at how this line appears to once again be consistently good.
Romantic suspense/action is my favorite sub genre and CLOSER delivers an abundance of spine-tingling suspense and red-hot passion, wrapped up nice and neat in a bow of undeniable attraction that you just know will lead to a delicious romance. Christie Pratchett’s life has practically been pulled out from under her by a stalker whose relentless pursuit has caused her to lose her job, her friends, and terrorizes her enough to hold her prisoner in her own home. Out of sheer desperation, Christie calls a number left by her late brother, and his friend Boone Ferguson enters her home and her life. Boone is determined to find Christie’s stalker and eliminate the fear that has taken over her life. Boone’s appearance also brings the characters of Seth and Kate to light, and they will be featured in Jo Leigh’s upcoming Blaze, RELENTLESS, scheduled for release in November, 2006. There is a twist at the end of this book that I didn’t expect, and I anticipate where it will take up in Ms. Leigh’s next book.
This book is on your bookseller’s shelves now; if you enjoy the Blaze line, be sure to get your hands on it - quickly. If you haven’t read a Blaze recently, I hope you’ll choose CLOSER to reintroduce yourself to the line, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks,
Laurie :)